Last Updated on May 10, 2026 by Colin Le Conte

Covid and Brexit information

The information regarding the clearance of British citizens when arriving in France is still current on the Port Chantereyne website. It appears to be simpler for 2026 and we have heard good reports.

2026 Entry procedure for boaters who are nationals of third countries (and in particular for British boaters) 

– The owner and crew are exempt from the new Entry/Exit System (EES) procedure. Consequently, they are not required to provide biometric data (such as fingerprints or facial images) when entering Europe via a marina. 

The owner must complete this form before arrival and to the port office’s email address portchantereyne@cherbourg.fr and ideally send it 24 hours departure from Cherbourg : – 
Only one form is required per boat. The port office then forwards the form to the PAF (Border Police). 

– Boaters must enter and leave Europe using the same procedure. Therefore, if the boater used the biometric scanning method (for example, via a ferry), they must go to the PAF office at 27 Rue Dom Pedro upon departure (a 15mn walk from the marina).

– Consult this summary document which contains the form to be completed

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Known as Port Chantereyne, this is a great 24-hour-a-day marina to visit and a refuge port. Especially popular with the English who can pop across from the mainland and have a few great days in this interesting town.

The marina is very large and appears to have good facilities including fuelling. The harbour office is well staffed and they speak excellent English. They are also very good at responding to e-mail messages and questions, an example other marinas would do well to follow.

Cherbourg has a Condor ferry from Guernsey and Poole in 2022 and also border control for your Brexit passport stamping.

The town is about 10mins away and the shopping centre, approx 20mins.

There are a couple of good restaurants available by the marina office.

Official Website – https://www.portchantereyne.fr/

See the following page for the entry procedure for third-country nationals boaters (and in particular for British boaters) – https://www.portchantereyne.fr/port-chantereyne/votre-escale-a-port-chantereyne-1953.html

Port Chantereyne hosts all visitors’ pontoons and accommodates large vessels up to 25 m long with a 3 m draft.

Pontoons visitors

Red – visitors pontoons, orange – waiting pontoon

Port Chantereyne reserves the J, P, Q, and waiting pontoons, along with the north side of the H pontoon and the west side of the K pontoon, for visitors

• K west: ship over 12m
• P: ship up to 12 m
• Q west: ship up to 14 m
• Q is along the pontoon: ship over 14 m
• H north along the pontoon: ship over 14 m
• J along the pontoon: ship up to 25m – Please contact the port office for the use of pontoon J
• Waiting pontoon without connection to the land: ships up to 25m

Official Website – https://www.portchantereyne.fr/

Speed limits 14 knots in the wider harbour, 8 knots in the inner harbour and 3 knots in the marina.

Contact information

Tides – https://tide.frbateaux.net/33

Fuel – Diesel and petrol pumps are located close to the marina reception near J pontoon. Contact the marina office, or pay up to €120 directly at the fuel pump using a credit or debit card 24/7.

Things to do – La Cite de la Mer is on the other side of the marina and you can walk across to this amazing site. The site features the nuclear submarine Le Redoutable and a Titanic exhibition; you can easily spend a entire day there. The submarine, in particular, is amazing and well worth seeing. See https://www.citedelamer.com/en/ for further information.

You have to walk back towards the town, cross the road bridge and go up the other side of the harbour to get to the Cite de la Mare and so is a good 30mins walk and yet it is so close when you are in the marina – as the crow flies.

Yacht Club – https://yc-cherbourg.com/

Market day – Market days in the town centre of Cherbourg are Thursdays and Saturdays

Car Rental / Hire cars

We rented through https://www.francecars.fr/ who was very helpful and efficient. Where it says “Modifier l’agence” on the website, type in Cherbourg and then a drop-down list should show Dielette, Carteret Yacht Club, Saint Vaast and of course Cherbourg.

Web Cam – https://www.portchantereyne.fr/